Mail DVD sparks "brisk trade" at repair shop

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Posted on 17 Jan 2008 at 11:22

A free DVD given away with the Mail on Sunday has created a "brisk trade" at Apple repair stores, according to a PC Pro reader.

As we reported on Monday, last Sunday's free Jazz Singer DVD was printed on a new format called EcoDisc, which is half as thin as an ordinary DVD and can get stuck in certain Apple slot-loading drives.

The disc and disc sleeve carry a small warning, advising readers not to place the Ecodisc into Apple Macs, but it appears to have gone unnoticed by some.

"We inserted this damm Ecodisc into our Apple Mac before realising the implications of using an EcoDisc, and the disc drive no longer works," reports one PC Pro reader. "I have booked the computer in for repairs and it is likely to cost £60 plus VAT to repair."

And it seems our unfortunate reader isn't the only victim. "The Apple dealer advises that thanks to the Mail on Sunday, business is very brisk," he says.

Others have complained that the warnings printed on the disc are insufficient. "I agree there is very little warning about this on the packaging and disc," says Miacid on the PC Pro forums.

A spokesperson for the Mail on Sunday says the newspaper has had "a couple of people phoning up, but nothing major".

The slot-drive warning on the back of the sleeve has been overlooked by some

The EcoDisc's manufacturer, ODS, insists the disc won't break drives. "We've produced over ten million of these discs - we've had less than a dozen phone calls," says managing director, Ray Wheeler. "There are ways to get the discs out."

Wheeler says the problem stems from Apple's slot-loading drives. "It uses an ejection system that doesn't get approval from the DVD Forum." He claims the EcoDisc should work in other types of slot-loading drive, although admits that it hasn't been tested in the PlayStation 3.

Author: Barry Collins